Frodsham (Castle Park Locality) Conservation Area Appraisal
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Vale Royal Borough Council FRODSHAM (CASTLE PARK LOCALITY) CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL Conservation Areas were introduced by the Civic Amenities Act of 1967, and are now an accepted part of Town and Country Planning legislation and practice. Local Authorities are required to identify “areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”. They are also under a duty to review existing designations from time to time. It has been recognised that if the special interest, character and appearance of a conservation area is to be retained, it must be managed. The first task in this process is to define and analyse the special characteristics that justify the designation of the conservation area. This is achieved by carrying out a Conservation Area Appraisal. The character of an area depends upon its historic background, the architectural quality and interest of its buildings, their materials and detailing, the way they relate to each other, the line of the highway, the quality of the landscape, trees and open spaces and a variety of unique features. A Conservation Area Appraisal provides a description of those elements that contribute to and define the character of the conservation area. It also provides the basis for development plan policies and development control decisions, both within and adjacent to the Conservation Area boundary. Subsequently the appraisal will provide the background for proposals to preserve or enhance the area. It may also identify development opportunities. Therefore the Government has stated that appraisals are considered to be essential for all existing and proposed conservation areas. Vale Royal Borough Council understands the importance of involving the local community in the appraisal process. It has recognised that these studies are only valid if those people who are most closely affected by the designation of the conservation area accept the content of the appraisal. As a result, a public consultation exercise has been undertaken, the considered responses from which have been incorporated into this final version of the appraisal. The Borough Council’s methodology for conducting Conservation Area Appraisals has been accepted as an example of Good Practice In Conservation by the Royal Town Planning Institute. However the Council has resolved to continue to revise and improve its methodology for conducting conservation area appraisals whilst striving to maintain a degree of consistency between the various completed studies. The principal effects of this designation are as follows: 1. The Council is under a duty to prepare proposals to ensure the preservation or enhancement of the area 2. In carrying out its functions under the Planning Acts, and in particular when determining applications for planning permission and conservation area or listed building consent, the Council and the Secretary of State are required to take into account the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of the area 3. Permitted development rights are more restricted within the designated area 4. Consent must be obtained from the Council for the demolition of any building in the area (subject to certain exceptions) 5. Special publicity must be given to planning applications for development in the area 6. Six weeks’ notice must be given to the local planning authority before any works are carried out to trees within the designated area. It becomes an offence, subject to certain exceptions, to cut down, top, lop, uproot, wilfully damage or destroy any tree in the area without the prior written consent of the local planning authority HISTORY 1.2 Topographic elements that have influenced the development form 1. Historic evolution of the site • Founded on harder Keuper Sandstones 1.1 Origins and development of the site at base of Frodsham Hill • Permeable Waterstones above to • Important area in prehistoric period South-East • Hill forts nearby • Red sandstone bedrock exposed in • Little evidence of Roman activity bed of watercourse in East of park • Roman road probably along Howey • Spring line above town at Overton Lane to Overton • Watercourses run through site • Rumoured to be site of a Roman fort • Allowed development of water mills • Probable original royal estate centred on • Facilitated creation of aesthetic water nearby Overton features • Manor of Frodsham granted to Hugh Lupus, 1st Norman Earl of Chester, 1070 1.3 Influences of current or previous land • Domesday Survey notes importance of uses on the area Frotesham • Frod’s village held by Earl of Mercia. • Manor, C13th, (no evidence of a castle) • Early C13th - Borough charter • Mediaeval fishponds on site • Castle/Manor House recorded on site - • Water mills on site and nearby destroyed 1654 • Private dwelling and estate from 1750 • Replaced by Park Place - Georgian • Extensively landscaped in 1855 mansion, in 1750 • Impact of railway to North-West of site • Site acquired 1851 by Joseph Stubs circa 1850 – separated site from town – reconstructed, extended - gardens • Public buildings and park from 1933 landscaped by Edward Kemp • Acquired by Wright - renamed Castle 2. Archaeological significance and Park circa 1861 potential of the area • Estate farm buildings added - 1870’s • Gifted by Wright family to Runcorn • No Scheduled Ancient Monuments within Rural District Council in 1933 Conservation Area • Adjoining land purchased by Runcorn • Sites and Monuments Record includes - R.D.C. in 1934 & 1937 - considerably • Fortified manor house of C13th increasing park size to 16 acres • Watermills - mediaeval • Fishponds - mediaeval • Tower noted in C14th • Identified as having archaeological potential in Cheshire Historic Towns Survey (2002 Final Report) TOWNSCAPE 3. Form and structure of the site 3.1 Boundary of the conservation area • Commencing in North-East at the railway bridge over Fountain Lane and moving in Extract from Burdett’s map of 1777 a clockwise direction - boundary follows Northern boundary of Thoresby (No 6) 1 Fountain Lane - encloses plot to rear of Nos 6 and 8 and rear curtilages of No 10 Fountain Lane and play area corner of Princeway - then follows road centre-line back around to Fountain Lane Railings and stone wall to Howey Lane • Then - North - West - Southerly - around rear garden curtilages of Nos 32 to 40 Howey Lane - enclosing service road access - returns to Howey Lane - briefly Properties on Fountain Lane along its centre-line - then to North-West and around curtilage of No 44 Howey • Runs along Southern boundary of Park Lane Court - then rear curtilage of Nos 63 and • South-Westerly - around circular clump 61 Park Lane along stone wall to rear of of trees - along metal post and bar railing The Croft - along centre-line of passage - tall hawthorn hedge adjacent -forming adjacent to No 59 Park Lane and along rear garden boundaries of Nos 46 to 56 centre-line of Park Lane Howey Lane and around metal railing and deciduous hedging of No 64 Nos 53 to 59 Park Lane Playing field is enclosed by boundary • Along centre-line of passage adjacent to No 53 Park Lane - then along Westerly • Then acutely North along rear concrete fence-line boundary to rear of properties post and timber panel fence to No 16 on Park Lane - turning North-East along Netherton Drive - to centre-line of West side of public footpath adjacent to Netherton Drive which it follows Pinmill Croft to Park Lane - East along Northerly to No 46 Netherton Drive - centre-line of road which becomes a whence it follows Eastern boundary pathway - along frontage of orchard - concrete post and timber panel fence of then Southerly along East side of that property - North then West along another public footpath to Howey Lane rear of Nos 46 to 50 - then the timber and along its centre-line fence of No 51 to Chester Road 2 • Then North along centre-line of Chester • Framed view through brick archway Road - turns to North-East just before across attractive floral displays in railway bridge and continues along enclosed formal gardens to feature timber post and rail fence at base of urn - site of former water feature - railway embankment back to railway then second former water fountain - bridge over Fountain Lane large stone - just beyond garden - all aligning to Cenotaph on Frodsham 3.2 Views within, into and out of the area Hill - now hidden by trees • Linear view along drive – between trees and walls of main house Main driveway looking East • From main access driveway alongside Formal Garden from brick arch to feature urn railway embankment and main house are glimpsed views to distant tree cover - • Reverse view to brick archway with painted urn - in foreground • Across ever-changing clutter of enclosed main car park Formal garden Busy time in main car park • Close to Fountain Lane entrance - • Through scattered trees by main • Into variety of interesting, enclosed house and past children’s play area courtyards and casual recreational activities on • Occasional ‘Planned’ vistas toward main flat open parkland grass house from paths at edge of woodland 3 close by American Garden, framed by • Clear views of Mersey estuary and feature trees and landscaping South Merseyside to North through • Interesting, short term views within more prominent gaps contrasting light and shade of heavy tree • Main House is screened by trees cover throughout central and Eastern • South-South-East from Fountains Lane portion of Park along Park Lane to Frodsham Hill • Framed by railway bridge crossing Fountain Lane, to Main Street Dappled